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The 4th seed Jannik Sinner advanced into the Australian Open quarter-final, reaching the last eight at Majors for the sixth time. The young Italian toppled Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 after two hours and 34 minutes, joining Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz in the quarter-final.
Sinner served at 54% and drew the most from that, producing more efficient numbers behind the first and second serve. Jannik denied nine out of ten break chances and kept the pressure on the other side. Karen dropped 41% of the points in his games, losing serve five times from eight chances offered to his rival and ending his run in the last 16.
Jannik fired 46 winners and 34 unforced errors, outplaying the rival's 27-29 ratio. The Italian controlled the rallies and beat the Russian in the shortest, mid-range and most advanced ones, emerging as a deserved winner. Sinner found his A-game on the return at 1-1 in the opener, landing a forehand winner for three break chances.
He seized the first after opening the court and cracking a forehand down the line winner for a break at love and a 2-1 advantage.
Jannik denied two break points in the fourth game with powerful serves, holding and cementing the advantage. Both players served well in the next five games, offering the returners no chances. Jannik held at love in game eight with a forehand winner before spraying a backhand error in the next one, keeping Karen in contention.
Sinner served for the set at 5-4 and faced three break points. The Italian denied them and fired a powerful serve for 6-4 after 51 minutes. Karen played a loose service game at the beginning of the second set, spraying a forehand error and losing serve.
Jannik could not extend the gap, playing a wayward drop shot in game two and losing serve at 15 to bring his rival back to the positive side. Sinner struggled behind the initial shot again in the fourth game, with two break points up for grabs for Khachanov.
Jannik Sinner took down Karen Khachanov in straight sets in Melbourne.
The Russian squandered them with groundstroke mistakes that would cost him dearly. Karen closed the fifth game with a volley winner and produced another fine hold two games later for 4-3.
Jannik faced more issues on serve in game eight, playing against two break points. The young gun denied them with striking serves, offering his opponent no chances by the end of the match. They served well in games nine and ten, with Sinner painting a forehand winner for 5-5.
Khachanov experienced a massive blow in the 11th game, wasting a 40-15 lead and losing serve after Sinner's forehand down the line winner.
The 4th seed served for the set at 6-5 and held at love with an ace, opening two sets to love advantage after an hour and 51 minutes.
Karen held at love at the beginning of the fourth set before embracing four challenging service games. He saved a break point at 1-1 and played against another at 2-2. Khachanov denied them with a strong backhand attack and led 3-2 before Sinner grabbed the next one for 3-3.
The Russian sprayed a forehand error in the seventh game, falling behind and pushing the Italian closer to the finish line. Sinner secured the eighth game with a service winner, moving 5-3 up and forcing Jhachanov to serve to stay in the match.
Jannik delivered another break, wrapping up the set and the match and booking a place in the quarter-final.